Well done: French jockey Alain de Royer Dupre pats Amercain after they won the Geelong Cup on Wednesday. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 55241
Andrew Mathieson
THIS year’s Geelong Cup was the “best ever”, according to excited racing club officials.
One the cup’s biggest crowds saw a French galloper fight his way back before the home turn to launch a dramatic run to pinch the Geelong Cup over 2406 metres.
Geelong Racing Club’s John Dunne said the final dash capped off the day.
“The atmosphere has been the best ever that I can remember,” he said.
“Even the quality of the field in the cup is also the best we have seen in a long while, maybe ever.”
Mr Dunne said a “huge crowd” contributed to the day’s success.
He estimated more than 18,000 patrons attended.
“It’s just getting better every year,” Mr Dunne said.
“The combination of the good weather and the good cup field is probably why we had such a huge crowd. It’s up on previous years by a couple of thousand at least.”
Mr Dunne said marquees were booked out a fortnight ago and “booking out earlier each year”.
He believed the Geelong Cup had given the Spring Racing Carnival a timely boost.
Caulfield Cup battled against inclement weather on Saturday, attracting a crowd only half the size officials had predicted.
In the 128th Geelong Cup, Americain and Moudre battled the final metres before Amercain won on the line in 2:30.35.
With 200 metres remaining, Moudre looked to be in the winning position. But after Americain was initially shuffled out in the straight, the French top weight edged a passage back through to the inside rail.
